Nothing feels more like freedom than driving with my hot-pink sea kayak strapped to the roof, dust rising behind me on a gravel road, as I head toward a new-to-me boat launch.
In August, I celebrated another lap around the sun that way, rolling down Cantrell Road in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. I’d first spotted the Coyote Creek Canoe Access while aimlessly scrolling Google Maps for nearby adventures, and it’s quickly become a favorite Eugene escape for me — when I want to feel far away without going far at all.
Established in 1957 through a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area has expanded to nearly 5,800 acres of water, wetlands and woods around Fern Ridge Reservoir. Managed primarily as habitat for wintering and nesting waterfowl, it hosts more than 250 bird species throughout the year. Scattered boat launches, canoe access points, and trails make it easy to explore…